Coin controlled apparatus



Dec. 12, 1933. o -r 1,938,698

COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 30, 1930 AT TORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1933 I r COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS 7 Frederick A. Hoyt, East vOrange, N. J., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New-York Application September so, 1930, Serial No. 485,387. Renewed January-20, 1933 8 Claims. (01. 194-16) This'invention relates to coin collection apremain closed so that the electromagnetic coin paratus for use at telephone pay stations and handling device may be energized repeatedly if more jparticularly to an electromagnetic coin necessary by the operator to release the coins, handling and switching mechanism therefor. whereupon the trap door returns to normal and The invention: is particularly suitable for use the cam engages the switch lever to hold the in telephone pay' station apparatus of ,theclass contacts open, the switch contacts having been shownin Patent 1,043,219'to O. F. Forsberg dated set by the electromagnet.

November 5, 1912, in which the deposit of a coin Referring to the drawing: or token is necessary. in order that the substa- Fig. 1 is a perspective view partly in section of 10 tion ma'y be able to signal a central office, and in an electromagnetically operated coin handling which other coins are deposited for the use of mechanism embodying the invention;

a toll connection, said coins being subsequently Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partly in section distributed by the operator, that is, cashed, if showing the switching mechanism under normal 7 the connection is successfully completed, and reconditions;

15 turned to the depositor if the said connection is Fig. 3 shows in vertical section the coin chute not obtained. In apparatus of this type the and thenormal position of the coin trap therein; coins are usually held in a trap which is controlled Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section by a relay'energized through a circuit closed by of the coin chute showing the position of the coin the operator by means of suitable contact maktrap and its relation to the switch lever after a 20 ing means. The operation of the relay automaticoin has been deposited and before it has been cally disconnects the operator from the substareleasedby the eleotromagnet; and tion and should cause the removal of the coins Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation showfrom'the trap. It'sometimes happens that the ing one position of the coin control means when I V the operator does not keep the circuit closed for the electromagnet has been operated to release 25 a time sufllcient to allow the coins to be removed the deposited coin or coins. from'the trap. However, even the momentary The electromagnetic coin control deviceissimiclosing of this circuit operates the relay and lar to that described in Patent 1,117,485 of Nobreaks the line connection. The operator therevember 17, 1914 to 0. F. Forsberg and consist in v by loses all control over the coin mechanism and general of a polarized electromagnetic device 30 has no means of knowing whetherany coins orhaving two electromagnetic coils 6 and 7 each tokens remain in the trap. supported at one end on a yoke 8, an armature 9 An object of the invention is to provide aftelepivotally supported at its center between the 7 phone coin collector with coin control and switchpoles of the opposite ends of the coils 6 and 7,.

4 ing means which are under the control of the and a permanent magnet 10 supported on the 3 35 central office operator until the deposited coins yoke 8 for polarizing the armature and the elechave been cashed or returned. r tromagnet. Associated for movement withthe Inv accordance withthe present invention, a armature 9 isa lever 11 having a forked end 12 telephone coin collector having anelectromag+ and a stud 13 of insulating material. Springs, netic switch and coincontrol apparatus, a coin 14 and 15 cooperate respectively with the mem- 40 chute anda trap door therein upon which coins bers 16 and 17 to separately act upon the armaare deposited, is provided with means associated ture 9 to return it to its normal position as shown I with the trap door for operating the switch to in Fig. 1, depending upon the direction of the,

put the coin handling apparatus underthe condisplacement of the armature. trol of the central office operator and to positively In a coin chute 18 is a trap 19 pivotally sup- 45 maintain this control until the coins are disported on'externally projecting lugs 20. .Sup-

charged" from the trap door. ported on an outwardly extending arm of the trap Specifically, the trap door is provided with a 19 and on the opposite side of the pivots from cam which cooperates with a leverto maintain the chute 18 is a weight 21 which under normal the line switch contacts open until the trap door conditions is more than sufiicient to maintain 50 andits associated cam are rotated a predeterthe trap 19, in an elevated position against the mined distance bya deposited coin to disengage force of a spring 22 cooperating with the outer the cam and lever, and thus permit the switch wall of the chute 18 to limit the upward movecontacts to close. While any coins remain on ment of the trap 19 and damp its oscillation.

' thetrap' door'the cam will be held out of en'gage- Attached to the arm of trap 19 or the weight 55 ment with the switch lever and the contacts will 21 is a cam 43 having a curved surface 23 the axis of which is preferably in line with the axis of the pivot of the trap 19. A lever 24 pivoted at 25 on the electromagnetic structure is adapted to engage the surface 23 of the cam 43. An arm 26 attached to the lever upon the opposite side of pivots 25 is adapted to engage the spring 2'7 to control its relation to spring 28 and thereby operate the contacts 40 to control the line circuit between the central office and the electromagnet. The spring 27 is provided with a semi-circular portion 41 which partly surrounds the stud 13 so. that any upper or downward movement of the stud will cause it to engage spring27 and maintain the contacts 40 closed until the arma? ture is returned to normal. The arm 26 is-also provided with a similar bend 42 to engage the stud 13 so as to disengage the cam surface 23 and the lever 24 upon the movementof the armature 9 in either direction.

In the coin chutelB, below the trap 19 and adapted to temporarily support it and a deposited coin, 'is a vane 30 pivoted at its lower e'dge 29, the line of pivots being at right angles to the line of pivots 20 of the trap. Projecting through an arcuate opening 31 in the wall of the chute 18 and attached to the vane 30 is a stud 32 engaging the forked end 12 of the lever 11.

The operation of the invention in connection with the electromagnet operating device is briefly as follows: Normally the contacts 40are open and the trap 19 is elevated as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively and the end of the lever 24 is held in engagement with the cam surface 23 by the force of spring 33 acting upon the arm 26. The weight of a deposited coin carries the trap 19 downwardly to the horizontal position against the vane 30 as shown in Fig, 4 and disengages the cam surface 23 from the lever 24 which is rotated by the action of the spring 33 so that the arm 26 moves into the path of the stud 13 and also 'forces the spring 27 to make contact with the spring 28 thereby closing the line contacts 40 and placing the electromagnet under the control of the central office operator who presses the usual key to energizethe electromagnet and cause the armature 9 and the stud 13 attached thereto to move either clockwise or counter-clockwise to operate the lever 24 and the contacts 40. At the same time the lever 11 moves vane 30 either to the right or left depending on whether the coin is to bereturned or'collected.

If the operator maintains the circuit closed for a suflicient length of time to release the coin and permit the trap to return to normal the lever 24 will again engage the cam 23 and allow the contacts 40 to open upon the release of the line However if the operator releases the" current. circuit too soon to permit the coins from being released from the trap 19 the cam 23 and the lever 24 will remain disengaged and the line contacts 40 will remain closed so that the operator may repeatedly energize the electromagnet until the coin is released. After the coin has been returned or collected and the operator circuit opened, the contacts 40 open and the device remains out of control of the operator until another coin is deposited.

What is claimed is:

1. In coin controlled apparatus comprising a coin chute, a coin trap in said chute for arresting the movement of a coin or coins deposited therein and electrical contacts for controlling a'circ'uit, a cam rigidly secured to said trap, means including a pivoted member controlled by said cam to close said contacts upon the deposit of a coin on with said trap to control said switching means and lock said trap in its displaced position and means under the control of said switching means to release said trap and the coin or coins arrested 3. In coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute, a cointrap pivotally supported in said chute for arr,es,ting the. ,movement of a coin or coins deposited therein, a weighted arm for balancing saidtrap and integral therewith, a flexible member between said arm and said chute for damping the oscillationsfof said trap and arm switchi'fig 1. means actuated by the deposit of .a coin or coins. on said trap and electromagnetic means under the control of said switching means to actuate 100 said trap and release the coin or coins therefrom.

4. In coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute, a coin trap pivotally supported in said taste for arresting the movement of av coin or coins deposited th'erein a weighted arm integral with said trap, a cam on said arm, circuit controLdevice including a lever adapted to engage said cam for a predetermined movement of said trap and lock said trap in its displaced position, and

means to actuate said lever to releasesaid trap for further movement to release thedepos'ited 00111 or coins. I

5. In coin controlled, apparatus comprising a coin chute, a trap therein adapted to be deflected downwardly a predetermined amount by the 115,

or coins,'means for maintaining said trap in an elevated position inclined downwardIy toward the pivotalsupport, said trap being adapted to move about its axis under the weight of a coin or coins, means for stopping said trap after a predetermined incitement, a' switch including 13 electrical contacts operated by the intial mo'vment of said trap andan' electromagnet for removingsaid stopping means to. permit the further movement of the trap'about itsaxis under the.

weight of a coinor coins and their dischargef;

therefrom.

'7; In a coin collector or pay station, a 60in chute, a' pivotedly supported coin trap therein for arresting" the movement of a coin or coins,

means for maintaining said trap-in an elevated 14 position inclined downwardly'towards a pivotal I support, said trap beingadapted' to move about its'axis'under the weight of a coin or coins, means for stopping said trap after a predetermined movement, means locking said trap independent v of a coin or coins against return to its initial position, a switch including electrical. contactsoperated bythe initial movement of's'aid trap. and said locking means, and means including an electromagnet for removing said stop to p'rmit150,

predetermined initial displacement about said pivotal support, a switch including electrical contacts operated by the initial movement of said trap and an electromagnet under the control of said switch to remove said stopping means from the path of said trap thereby permitting the coins to further move said trap about said pivotal support and efieot their discharge therefrom.

FREDERICK A. HOYT. 

